With a Little Christmas Luck
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Can Hotch & JJ find a little Christmas love? Perhaps with a little luck and help from their friends. Co-auth'd w/tonnie2001969.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N – Anybody that has any ideas for this story, let me know!_**

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Prologue**

David Rossi didn't have very many people in his life that he genuinely gave a damn about. Experience had taught him that very few people were worth the effort of maintaining a healthy relationship with, hence, his three divorces. That said, David Rossi did care about each and every member of his team. They were his family, closer to him than his blood relatives. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for any one of them. So, as he stood staring down into the busy bullpen, he smirked. It was time to put a plan into action. It was time to unite two of his most reserved teammates into something binding and lasting.

Each of them had been alone long enough. Aaron had been a quasi-widower for over a year and JJ had been single for over six months, abandoned by the bumbling Cajun when she'd chosen not to abandon her career in favor of being his wife. Never a patient man, Dave had done his best to stand in the background, watching and hoping that his friends would find their way into each other's arms without his interference. But now, here all of them were, standing on the cusp of yet another Christmas and nothing. Nado. Finite.

And the infuriating thing about it was that there _were _sparks. The evidence was in JJ's longing gaze when she thought no one was watching. It was in Hotch's irritation any time a man ventured a step too close to his media coordinator. It was _there!_ But those two stubborn fools refused to act on it….to take that next step into something more…into something wonderful. Shrugging his broad shoulders, Dave sighed. Well, if his two friends wouldn't walk willingly into the next phase in their evolving relationship, a helpful shove wouldn't be amiss. And he was more than prepared to offer one. But first, he needed a partner in crime. And he knew just who fit his expert qualifications.


	2. Chapter 2

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter One**

As a general rule, David Rossi did not particularly enjoy the Yuletide season. He personally found it to be too commercialized and hyped beyond belief. In his lingering thoughts, he would remember fondly the Christmases of his childhood, punctuated with the smells of fresh-baked panpepato and crispy pizelle fresh from his Mama's kitchen. Their entire neighborhood was decorated, families working together to string homemade popcorn garland around the front-yard trees. He didn't consider himself a religious man, but he had to admit that he was still stirred by the memories of the Hallelujah Chorus ringing out at midnight mass every Christmas eve, candles always flickering on the time-worn altar at St. Andrews. Time had been simpler then, and far less complicated.

He was also aware that very few of his co-workers shared his view. But this year, perhaps, he could use this festive season to further his cause. At least that was his hope. Yes, this unlikely Santa was on a mission. But, first, he needed a willing elf to aid and abet his cause.

And, like all good Santas, he knew exactly which elf was the best for this delicate job.

Stopping in front of Penelope Garcia's office door, Dave had to take a moment to shake his head, knowing that he was about to step into the lion's den, and he only hoped to come out with his head intact and an ally for his cause. The woman hidden within was a certifiable Christmas nut, he thought fondly, eyeing the bright door ahead of him. She had actually wrapped her door like a Christmas present complete with a bright shiny bow adorning the center and jingling bells hanging from the door knob. Mentally groaning at the Christmas hell he was about to encounter, he lifted his hand to deliver a firm knock against the shiny surface, and shifted impatiently as he waited for her to answer.

"O come, ye faithful one! Enter and ye shall be heard and deemed for worthiness," Penelope Garcia's theatrical voice filtered through the thick wood door, sing-songing in that way that only she could manage.

Hearing her chipper summons to enter, Dave suppressed an involuntary smile, shaking his head at the sounds of bouncing music that he could hear filtering through the wood. He'd never admit it, not under threat of death, but Penelope Garcia was actually one of his favorite people. Even in the darkest of times, and they'd seen more than their fair share, she managed to maintain her unfailing optimism, choosing to believe that the day, no matter how gloomy, would inevitably brighten and heaven's light would shine through once more. If he'd ever had that inspiring ability, he'd lost it years ago, cynicism sliding into its place. But Penelope Garcia's bright smile reminded him daily that hope did indeed still exist. It was alive and well here at the BAU, all wrapped up in the blonde-haired, decorated package that was their technical genius.

Aside from that, the woman's power with a keyboard was inspiring, if not a bit frightening. He was convinced that if she took the effort, she could conquer small countries without ever leaving the comfortable, if glaringly colorful, confines of her dungeon. She was a force to be reckoned with, and he felt blessed to count her among his small circle of friends. God knew, he had enough enemies, and he definitely couldn't afford any more, especially of the caliber that Garcia would be.

Opening her door, Dave shook his head and shielded his eyes as he entered, the glimmer turning to a full blown energy crisis in seconds. "Christ, Penny," he said, using his own personal nickname for the tech, "how many Christmas lights does one lone woman need?"

"Oh, poo, Grinch! A body can never have too much Christmas," she snorted, descending the ladder propped against her wall as she clicked a remote, dulling the music to a mere background noise. Flicking her eyes back in his direction, she caught the shadows that seemed to hover in his gaze, and immediately knew that he was not invading her personal domain just to pay a social call.

"I beg to differ. And when you throw the circuit breaker again this year, I'm not running interference with Strauss for you again," Dave warned, offering his hand to the pink haired Christmas freak he counted among friends.

Taking his hand, Pen stepped off the ladder, dusting her red leather skirt with her other hand as she did. People could say what they wanted about David Rossi, but Penelope Garcia knew him to be a true gentleman. Rolling her eyes as she released his fingers, she scrunched her nose as she sneered, "Okay, Ebenezer, why exactly are you attempting to bring doom and gloom into my Winter Wonderland? This," she said, gesturing around at the heavily decorated room, "is Santa's oasis. No thunder allowed."

Flashing her a grin, Dave inclined his head, properly chastised as he said formally, "My apologies, Penny."

"I suppose I could grant you a pardon as a show of goodwill IF you'll help me decorate my tree," she bargained, jerking her head toward the large artificial tree in the corner.

"Honey, I don't do Christmas," Dave groaned, resisting the sudden urge to run screaming out of the small office, the mere thought of touching an ornament almost causing him to break out in a rash. Steady, he told himself firmly, recalling his ultimate reason for being in this artificial winter wonderland.

"You know the rules, my friend. If you don't like my terms, vacate my end of the playground," Pen shrugged, moving toward the tree as she expertly flicked the fake snow into place, cocking her head as she eyed the next branch.

"Crap," Dave muttered, shoulders sagging as he followed her, shuffling his feet against the tile floor.

"I thought you'd see it my way," Pen laughed, handing him a box of ornaments as she added a few more flicks of the white foam . "You can start be putting hooks on these," she ordered, her voice as militant as any drill sergeant he'd ever heard. "And tell me why you're giving me the pleasure of your company, my super special supervisory agent!"


	3. Chapter 3

**With a Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Two**

An hour later sitting amid a tangle of tinsel and ornaments, Penelope Garcia stared up into the dark eyes of a very impressed with himself, David Rossi. "That's it? That's your answer to beginning what could be the most epic love affair to hit the FBI ever? Locking Hotch and JJ in the supply closet until they give into their innermost desires and boink their brains out?"

"Is it my logic or my method that you find faulty, Penny?" Dave asked, desperately trying to work the knots out of yet another bundle of Christmas lights.

"Either! Both!" Emily snorted, grabbing the tangle from his hands. "How can you appear so smart and still be so clueless." Tilting her head at him, she added brightly, "But on the upside, I think I've noted the source of those three divorces."

"Very funny," Dave said, making a face at her. "But, may I add that this is why I enlisted an elf for my endeavor. Santa does the heavy lifting. I'm a firm believer that it's the elves that have all the ideas."

Nodding, Penelope chewed her lower lip. "You just might be on to something there, big guy."

"Is that a little Christmas idea I see churning in those intelligent eyes of yours, Miss Garcia?" David asked, leaning forward to peer at her.

"With a little Christmas luck, we might just be able to pull together a plan," Penelope murmured, staring off into space.

"So this means that you're definitely in, right?" Dave asked carefully.

"Of course I'm in. For the record, I was in long before you ever entered the picture. There was just always something in my way. Like Haley. Then Will," she said with a shiver. Lifting her eyes, she leveled her partner in crime with an inquisitive look, "How did you get him out of DC so quickly?"

"Let's just say Uncle Gino and his associates owed me a favor," Dave shrugged, reaching for the box of ornaments again.

"Rock on, Santa!" Penelope said with a gleam in her eye, lifting her hand for a high five. "We've got the mafia's answer to Al Capone right here among us in the FBI. I'm impressed."

"Be impressed with me when I help you figure out a way to get our two favorite colleagues coupled off," Dave huffed. "What exactly is wrong with my plan?" Dave asked petulantly.

"For one thing," Penelope replied with a raised brow, "your plan has been tried before. Three years ago if you really wanna know. Reid accidently locked 'em up. And let me tell you, sparks flew all right. JJ's claustrophobic. Hotch had to stop her from chewing through the wood door like a beaver. I'm pretty sure she might have tried to gnaw his arm off, too. Anyway, tight spaces and our little JJ do not mix. Besides, your plan lacks a certain savoir faire."

"Everybody's a critic," Dave grumbled, his fingers working over the knot in his hands. "Fine, my right hand elf, come up with something better!"

"Patience, my demanding little Santa Claus. True works of Christmas art take time," Penelope hummed. "What we need is a diversion. Something that they'd never see coming. Yet, something that would bring them together in this, the most wonderful time of the year."

"Okay, you're officially making Santa a little nauseous," Dave muttered, finally achieving victory with the persnickety tangle of lights in his hand. "All this Christmas hoopla is going to your head."

"Focus, SuperAgent!" Penelope snapped. Silent a long moment as she mindlessly put hooks on the variety of colorful bulbs at her fingertips, she finally dropped an ornament and clapped her hands. "I've got it! What does every family need for Christmas, Agent Rossi?"

"A gun with enough bullets for everybody?" Dave asked with a smirk.

"No," Penelope drawled, "And we'll discuss your homicidal tendencies later," she said, shooting him a dirty look. "Every house needs a Christmas tree. And I happen to know that neither element in our super couple has one. You, however, have a whole property just full of them…in the middle of nowhere, if my memory serves."

"And a deserted little shanty perfect for two…Hotch even knows where it is. Showed it to him the last time we went hunting," Dave said, smirking as he rubbed his hand together.

"You're kidding?" Penelope grinned.

"I never kid," Dave said, shaking his dark head. "Not when it comes to getting Hotch laid."

"Vulgar, but true," Penelope muttered, rolling her eyes. "And it isn't as though my little J-bird couldn't do with a little Christmas loving. But there's the small matter of two little children…which one do you wanna take responsibility for after we desert them in the middle of nowhere?"

"I want the one that doesn't sit in its own poop," Dave said quickly, wrinkling his nose.

"Ah, but at least Henry stays where you put him," Penelope said readily.

"There is that," Dave nodded, wrinkling his forehead as he weighed pros and cons in his mind. "But, there is the added benefit that Jack has a grasp on the English language."

"Fine," Penelope snorted. "You take Jack and I'll take Henry. They'll need supplies," Penelope added.

"Leave it to me," Dave smirked, grinning wickedly.

"I'm talking about more than condoms, Santa," Penelope laughed, aware of where the older man's mind had gone.

"I'll take care of it," Dave nodded. "So when do we set this little Santa's soiree up?"

"Saturday morning," Penelope supplied easily. "Then we pick 'em up Sunday afternoon. That should be enough time, don't you think?"

"I agree. The weather's supposed to be clear over the weekend. And not too cold…of course a little chilly weather might work to our advantage."

"Who knew Santa was so sly?" Pen chuckled.

"Kiddo, you've got no idea," Dave said with gleaming eyes.

"Looks like our little friends might just get their Christmas groove on yet!" Penelope said excitedly, rising to throw a handful of tinsel at the tree.

"Ho. Ho. HO!" Rossi grinned.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Loyal readers, it may be a day or so before my next posting. My Xmas cookies won't bake themselves. No matter how hard I try to wish it so.**_

**With a Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Three**

Later that afternoon, Penelope Garcia strode purposefully down the BAU's corridor, ready, willing and able to implement phase one of Operation: Christmas Miracle. Her friend deserved a miracle, too. The past few months had been a roller coaster for the tiny media liaison, the highs coming far less than the lows. And in spite of everything, it had made her an even better mother, as if that should have been possible. But Jennifer Jareau refused to allow anything to hurt her son, so she had rolled with the punches.

Popping her head inside JJ's open office door, Penelope grinned at the sight of her best friend, the blonde head bent over her desk. "Hey, Peaches! Got a second to solidify some pertinent plans?"

"What kind of plans?" JJ asked suspiciously, looking up at her friend from the pile of files strewn across her desk. Shifting the top report to the right, she automatically reached for her pen as she waited for her friend to answer the question.

"What other kind of plans are there, Buttercup? Christmas, of course!" Garcia chirped, sliding into JJ's office and plopping herself on one of the few chairs not covered in stacks of files. If ever a person was in need of some Christmas cheer, it was her overworked gumdrop, she thought with a grin, bouncing slightly in her seat.

"Ugghhh, Garcia! Look around you, hon. Does this exactly look like the type of stuff adorning my Christmas dreams?" JJ asked, rolling her eyes as she watched the technical genius twirl a dyed curl around her finger. "Can't I just skip it this year?" she groaned, leaning back in her chair and lifting a hand to massage the tense muscles in her neck, vowing to visit the chiropractor just as soon as she found a break in her schedule.

"Uhhhh, I think me and your year old son might have a small problem with that," Penelope shot back quickly, wagging a bright red fingernail in her direction. "And since he can't tell you yet exactly how much that idea sucks, his fairy godmother shall speak for him. Hell, no! We're not skipping anything! In fact, that's what I'm here to talk to you about."

"What?" JJ moaned, dreading the thought of adding one more thing to her already packed schedule. "If you wanna go shopping tonight, I've got a late meeting, Garcie. It'll be after six when I get out of here as it is."

"What would be the point in going Christmas shopping yet? You'd have nowhere to put the gifts," Garcia said, propping her hand against her chin and fixing JJ with a hard look.

"I'm not following here, Garcia," JJ replied, staring across the desk at her determined friend, wondering if the Christmas cheer had suddenly driven the other woman round the bend.

"What I mean, my dear little darling, is that once you buy said gifts, you have no tree under which to put them," Garcia clarified, trying to hide a smile as she implemented her plan. "And I've come up with a solution to that little dilemma of yours."

"I didn't particularly think of it as a dilemma until you pointed it out," JJ grumbled, shuffling the papers on her desk as she avoided her friend's penetrating gaze. Sometimes, she honestly felt that Penelope Garcia could read her mind, strange as that might sound.

"Well have no fear, Garcia is here," Pen sang cheerfully, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair.

"That's what I'm afraid of," JJ mumbled, taking a sip of her tepid coffee. She loved Garcia like a sister, but when she was on a mission, she had the tenacity of a bulldog. "Okay, I give," JJ sighed, dropping her mug back to her desk, the clatter loud in the small room. "What's your master plan?"

"Well, our lovable resident Grinch has offered us, errr, that is to say, YOU, a tree off that massive property known as Little Creek. Solid deal, right? We just need to go Saturday morning and pick it out," Penelope explained in a rush of air, an expectant look on her face. "So I'll pick you up at ten, 'kay?"

"Dave offered to do this? Mr. I Hate All Things Christmas? Pens, did you drop the happy pills in his coffee again? You know he threatened to kill you the last time you did that," JJ said, biting back a smile as she remembered David Rossi high on valium. After a particularly grueling case and the plane ride home from hell, Rossi had been in rare form and Garcia had taken matters into her own capable, if questionable hands. A high David Rossi had certainly been a sight to behold and it had required all of their own unique talents to get the senior profiler home in one piece. She was fairly certain David Rossi would never accept a scotch from Penelope Garcia's hand again. On the flip side, though, she thought with a grin, they had learned many things about the women from his past during that little adventure, his tongue definitely loosened by the pharmaceutical.

"Oh, poo. That's old news. I've been pardoned," Pen grinned, waving her hand negligently. "And yeah, I'm sure. Besides, I think Hotch and Jack are gonna be there, too," Penelope added, watching JJ's face carefully as it lit up, her eyes brightening quickly. Smiling, Penelope realized this little plan that she had Rossi had concocted just might work after all.

"Really?" JJ said in what she hoped was a casual note, brightening at the thought of spending a morning with her boss and his son. Somehow, that seemed to make this entire packed week seem better.

"Yep. Rossi was gonna try to take care of everybody's tree with one saw," Penelope nodded obediently, delivering her lines with practiced ease. The hook had been baited, the line had been cast, and she could feel the fish being reeled in inch by inch.

"Well in that case, it sounds like a plan," JJ grinned, propping her chin on her hands. Maybe the weekend wasn't looking so dark and depressing after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Four**

Strolling into Aaron Hotchner's office, David Rossi immediately noted his one-time mentor's dark head, buried as it usually was in a file. "Do you never take a break?" he asked, sinking into the wingback chair in front of Aaron's desk and casually propping his feet along its edge.

Raising his dark eyes to meet the senior profiler's, Hotch sarcastically welcomed his friend, "Come in, Dave. Make yourself at home." Reaching out a hand across the width of the desk, he knocked at Dave's shoes. "Feet off my desk."

Pursing his lips, Dave slowly dropped his feet back to the floor, muttering, "Anal retentive freak."

"Inconsiderate asshole," Hotch replied evenly.

"Now is that anyway to talk about your best friend?" Dave asked conversationally, shifting in his seat as he crossed his feet at the ankles.

"Why? Do you see him around here," Hotch asked dryly, raising his head long enough to glance toward his door.

"Funny guy," Rossi grunted. "I came in here to do you a favor, not to have you bust my balls, Aaron."

"I don't recall asking for a favor," Hotch replied, making a note in the file he perused.

"You didn't. But you should have," Dave retorted, watching his friend. "Do you think it'd be possible to get your full attention over here?" he asked sarcastically.

"Dave," Hotch sighed, "Do you see my desk? Do you have any idea how far Morgan was behind on the unit's paperwork. I'm drowning over here. So, unless this is really important…"

"Well, personally, I think it's stupid, but your kid seemed to have other ideas when I tucked him in last night," Dave shrugged. Thank God he'd watched Jack for Aaron last night while the younger man had met with Strauss and the Director. At least it gave his lie some merit.

"Jack? What about Jack?" Hotch asked, his eyebrows raising as he stared across the desk at the other man.

One thing that could most definitely get Aaron Hotchner's full attention was anything to do with his young son, Dave thought with satisfaction. Yet another characteristic he shared with Jennifer Jareau. "Wipe that panicked look off your face, Hotch. It's nothing serious. Your kid wants a Christmas tree. A real one. He wants to pick it out, cut it down and everything. And he's not the only one. Evidently, JJ needs one, too. So, I'd thought we'd kill two birds with one stone."

"JJ still needs a tree?" Hotch asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yep. It's not exactly like that tiny thing can go cut and pack one in on her own," Dave shrugged. "Anyway, Saturday, ten in the morning, be at Little Creek. We're goin' tree hunting."

"Dave, wouldn't it just be easier to hit a lot after work. We could just pick up…" Hotch said, halting when Dave held up a hand.

"I promised your kid he could come out and pick exactly the right tree, as he put it," Dave explained. "Come on, Hotch, what could it hurt?"

"Nothing, I guess," Hotch shrugged. Meeting Dave's steady gaze, he tried to keep his voice casual as he asked, "You said JJ is coming, too?"

Lifting his lips in a sly smile, Dave nodded. "She and the baby both. I figured we'd make a day of it. She and that kid could use some Christmas cheer according to Garcia."

Narrowing his gaze, Aaron asked, "Has something else happened? With LaMontagne?"

Shaking his head as he watched his friend's eyes gleam dangerously, Dave quickly assured him, "I told you, Aaron, it got taken care of. She won't have any more trouble from that quarter."

"I'm still not entirely satisfied that we didn't handle his reluctance to leave DC ourselves," Hotch growled shuffling the papers on his desk.

"At the time, you had enough trouble with Strauss," Dave reminded the younger man. "You didn't need any more. My way was more effective."

"And a hell of a lot less satisfying," Hotch muttered, his mind recalling JJ's shattered face when she'd discovered her boyfriend had a less than faithful streak. He, along with the rest of their team, had been livid on her behalf. She certainly deserved a lot better than she'd found with LaMontagne. He'd always been protective of JJ, much to Haley's displeasure. No matter how many times he'd assured his ex-wife that their relationship was strictly platonic, he knew she'd never quite believed him. And sometimes, when he was being very honest with himself, he didn't quite believe it himself. Pulling his thoughts back from that murky path, he looked at Dave's smirking face. "Knock it off…she works for me, Dave."

"Correction. She works with us…not for us. Her boss is in public relations, Hotch. There'd be no conflict of interest and you know it," Dave countered.

"She's not interested and I'm not exactly at a place in my life where I can go pursuing anything new," Hotch argued. "Leave it alone."

"If you say so," Dave shrugged, secretly smiling as he realized that his plan was definitely on track. "Just be there Saturday. I'm not packing two trees alone."

Watching as his old friend sauntered out of his office, Hotch suspected Dave was up to something. Dave wasn't nearly as adept at subterfuge as he seemed to think he was. The simple fact was, he was just to curious to pass up the opportunity. And for the first time in a long time, he had something to look forward to.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: For those of you following my stories, from now until Christmas, my updates will be coming every other day. Sorry, my friends, blame my children and their countless Christmas activities. As usual, Tonnie and I have a ball bringing you these stories, so, please be patient with us. The holiday season is kicking our collective rumps. Thank you, everyone who is taking the time to both read & review. Please continue! It makes it worthwhile to do this, knowing that we've managed to capture your interest. As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds (though I wouldn't mind having Joe M. for in my stocking this year!).**_

**With a Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Five**

Saturday morning dawned bright and clear and by the requisite meeting time, Little Creek's temperature hovered around a cool but not freezing forty-nine degrees. Glancing toward where Henry toddled around the stumps of the trees she and Hotch had chosen, his hand held securely in his five year old new best friend, JJ smiled gently.

"They've made fast friends, haven't they?" Hotch asked quietly, coming to stand beside her. "Since Haley's death, he doesn't come out of his shell much, but with Jack, he actually seems to shine."

"He's got someone to look after," she said, nodding at the children as Henry began to stumble and Jack steadied him. "Henry's eyes always light up with Jack around, too," she added, flashing a smile up at the taciturn man beside her. "So, I think the feeling is mutual."

"I'm just glad to see him smiling and laughing. Since…he doesn't do that much anymore," Hotch shrugged. "You'd think after a year, that…I just expected him to be further along in the healing process."

"I think everyone…even children…do that at their own pace, Hotch. There aren't any hard and fast rules for that," JJ offered quietly.

"How's Henry been coping with Will's absence?" Hotch asked gently, nodding to the chubby toddler currently walking beside his son. "Any problems?"

"No, not really. Will was never really what you'd call an involved parent," JJ snorted, wondering how he'd been so easily willing to give up rights to their child. Oh, she was grateful for it…but still, she would never understand how he'd been willing to just walk out without a backward glance. "I don't think Henry ever truly associated Will with the word daddy."

"He's lucky to have a mother who understands the meaning of her name, though," Hotch replied kindly, stealing another look at the blonde next to him. The cool air had reddened her cheeks to just the right color, enhancing her natural beauty even more. Over the past few months, he couldn't help but notice how weighted she had seemed, the demands of the job and her family hanging heavy on her shoulders and in her countenance. But now, here in the middle of nature, she seemed to have shed those concerns, her smile quick and her eyes bright.

Glancing over at her pseudo-boss, she caught a glint in his eyes, something she couldn't quite explain. Shrugging away the thought, she replied, "I'm lucky to have him. Henry makes me a better person. I just hope that I can do the same for him."

"I know the feeling," Hotch muttered, his eyes drawn back to their laughing children. A grin spread across his lips as he watch the tiny blonde boy suddenly throw himself around Penelope's leg, his baby laughter ringing through the cold air.

Seeing the same sight, JJ let a smile flitter across her lips as she said with a laugh of her own, "I think that's my cue. Looks like Henry's ready to move on."

Watching her tighten her scarf around her neck, Hotch wanted to open his mouth and invite her and her son for an afternoon of cocoa and cookies. No harm could come from that, could it? Two colleagues with children, automatically having a common point of interest…nothing serious, right? But the normally articulate Aaron Hotchner could not make the words form, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as his eyes mutely followed her few steps.

The sudden slap on his back drew him out of his paralysis. His eyes never leaving their intended focus, he muttered to the older man, "Something you needed, Rossi? Or do you just enjoy scaring the crap out of me?"

"We're in the middle of the damn woods, man. I think your greatest concern is the squirrel that's gonna file suit against you for chopping down his home," Rossi said with a snort, his eyes grinning as he easily followed Hotch's gaze. He added, knowingly, "Of course, there are many other beauties of nature that can be far more dangerous. But danger, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, you know."

His forehead wrinkling as he tried to understand what his friend was saying, Hotch shook his head as he finally cast his eyes in the other's direction. "Is that supposed to be some woodsman's pithy words of wisdom?"

Mentally sighing as he wondered if this supposedly intelligent man would ever get a clue, Rossi dug in his pocket , pulling out two small prepared signs attached to wooden sticks. Gesturing with them as he almost threw them at Hotch, Rossi kept his voice neutral as he said, "Here, take these. You and JJ need to mark the ground where we took your trees."

Glancing down at the small pieces of wood in his gloved hands, Hotch then looked back up at Rossi as he said carefully, "And why would we need to do that? I think those stumps give you a good idea that there're a few trees missing."

Rolling his eyes again, Rossi said succinctly as he nodded in the direction of said stumps, "Just do it, man. Or my caretaker will have my hide when he comes out here and finds a couple of trees gone. And I don't relish the thoughts of him calling me at the ungodly hour of six in the morning to tell me that tree rustlers have invaded us again."

Cocking an eyebrow as he looked down at the small ply board signs, with his and JJ's names neatly printed on them, Hotch shrugged as he asked, "Tree rustlers? Really, Dave?"

"Don't ask," Rossi warned, hiding his grin at the turn of the events as he mock-scowled. "The man's pushing 90 and can shoot better than I can. I don't question those things anymore."

"Ooookkkaaay," Hotch replied slowly, his eyes conveying doubt but choosing not to make any additional comments. Glancing toward the two women who were laughing with the children, he added, "I'll just get JJ and the kids and we'll get this taken care of."


	7. Chapter 7

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Six**

Overhearing the end of the conversation as she stepped toward the two men, her son in her arms and followed closely by Penelope, JJ asked quickly, "What do we have to take care of?"

"I'll explain in a minute," Hotch said with a glare thrown in Rossi's direction. Reaching for Jack as he came barreling toward him, he said cheerfully, a wide grin settling across his face as he held his son, "Okay, little man, we're almost done once we let the tree police know who took their trees for the day."

"Tree police?" JJ asked, confusion flashing across her face as she glanced around the small group. "What have I missed?"

Smiling at the young blonde, Rossi said with a chuckle, "Hotch'll explain. Won't take you but just a second and we'll be back on the road."

Playing her part to the hilt, Penelope reached for Henry, deftly shifting the little boy out of his mother's arms as she said, her voice bubbling with laughter and happiness of a plan coming together, "I'll just get this little one in his seat while you take care of whatever this is."

His eyes widening as he watched Henry being carried away by his favorite aunt, Jack patted at Hotch's face as he asked, worry filling his little boy voice, "I go with Henry? He might need me!"

Reaching for the boy, Rossi said gruffly, "Come on, Jackster. You and me will make sure your Aunt Penny gets the boy buckled in."

Nodding quickly, Jack looked up at Hotch as he said, "I help, Daddy. 'Kay?"

"I don't think I have much choice," Hotch replied with a laugh as his son literally dived out of his arms and into Rossi's. Listening as the little boy chattered happily to the old gruff, he turned toward JJ, shrugging his shoulders as he said, "I guess we have this one last thing to do then we can get those two home."

Following him toward where they had just chosen their trees, side by side newly-sawed stumps easy to recognize in the otherwise forested woods, JJ asked with a laugh, "What exactly are we doing?"

Handing her a sign, he said succinctly, "Marking our kills. Rossi's rules."

Watching as he leaned down and slammed his stick in the ground, JJ shrugged as she followed suit, her sign a bit lopsided but still firmly in the cold ground. Rubbing her hands together, she asked, her eyebrow raised as she turned to look back at Hotch, "So what now?"

"Now, we get in that nice warm truck and head back to Rossi's, I guess," Hotch replied, unable to stop his grin from growing as he looked down at her, trying not to admit to himself how much he was truly enjoying these few stolen moments.

But the sound of an engine suddenly invaded the small clearing, and both their heads jerked suddenly, their attention drawn toward the moving vehicle. "What the hell?" Hotch muttered, taking a step suddenly in the truck's direction.

Staring blankly at the departing SUV, JJ said more to herself than her companion, "They can't be leaving, can they?"

"Dave!" Hotch yelled, raising his arms and waving them over his head. "What in the hell are you doing?!"

But as JJ and Hotch stared in confusion at the SUV gaining speed down the gravel makeshift road, throwing small rocks and dirt as it progressed, no answer was forthcoming other than the light beep of a horn and what appeared to be a rock flying from the passenger side's window.

"Look!" JJ yelped, "Somebody threw something out the window."

As both colleagues hurried toward the hastily thrown missile, Hotch glared toward the rapidly moving SUV. "What the hell is Dave thinking?" he grumbled, trying to keep up with JJ's quick stride.

"Don't ask me!" JJ huffed. "That one is YOUR best friend, not mine."

"Don't throw stones just yet, JJ. This escapade has Penelope Garcia written all over it," Hotch replied, unruffled as he bent over to pick up the small wrapped box from the side of the gravel path. Flashing her a frown, he murmured, "This envelope has both our names on it, JJ. AND, it's in Garcia's handwriting. My guess is that whatever this is about…she's conned Dave into being her partner in crime."

Shaking her head as she returned Hotch's frown, JJ muttered, "David Rossi doesn't do anything that David Rossi doesn't WANT to do and you know it. Chances are, whatever this is…it's a joint venture."

Ripping open the envelope and jerking out a sheet of paper, Hotch muttered, "Determining blame doesn't seem to be our first priority right now, does it?"

Watching as his eyes widened as he read whatever was on the page, JJ leaned around him, peering over his arm. Doing her best to ignore the feel of his arm against hers, she asked sharply, "I hope this tells us that they're just making a quick run to the corner market and plan on returning PDQ."

"I'm afraid those hopes are for naught, JJ," Hotch sighed, glancing over at the petite blonde, her nearness causing him to almost catch his breath again. Forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand, he pressed the note into her smaller hand as he said, rubbing a hand over his face, "Apparently our so-called friends have staged a kidnapping and abandoned us to the elements."

Eyes widening as she quickly scanned the short note, she snorted as she reached the last line, muttering aloud as she read, "And don't even attempt to use your cell phones, as this part of Little Creek is in a dead zone." Crumpling the letter and throwing it forcefully to the cold ground, she smiled grimly as she stated, "I'll show them a dead zone. Just as soon as I find them, they're both dead."


	8. Chapter 8

**With a Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Seven**

"I don't think their location will be that hard to ascertain," Hotch said drily, his head cocked in the easterly direction that the SUV had just taken. Glancing up at the sky, trying to gauge the location of the sun in the cloudy sky, he sighed as he said, "I guess our only hope is to start walking back toward Dave's house."

Her eyes widening at the thought, JJ slammed her hands on her hips as she snapped out, incredulously, "What in the HELL did those two think they were doing?" Waving her hands in the air, she muttered, "At least I can only hope that Penelope is taking care of my son."

Taking a step forward, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his stiff jeans, Hotch nodded as he said, "Hopefully she's going to keep Jack occupied, too. He doesn't exactly respond well right now if he misses his afternoon snack and nap."

Trudging reluctantly after him, mentally thankful that she had least had the good sense to wear her tennis shoes, JJ sighed, glancing down at her watch. "At this rate, we might make it back to Rossi's cabin in what…two, three hours?"

Glancing over his shoulder, catching sight of her blonde hair gleaming in the cold, sunlight air, he shrugged as he answered, "I hope so. I wasn't exactly paying close attention to the direction Dave was taking when he brought us out here. I just remember it took us …what, 20, 30 minutes to get here?"

Nodding, JJ shivered slightly as a gust of wind blew through the small clearing, causing her to wrap her jacket even closer. "I think that's right. I believe I heard Penelope tell Dave to keep going more than once, supposedly so we could find the right tree. " Her mind suddenly starting to piece the puzzle together, she added, slowly, "Although I do think we passed more than one stand of perfect trees on the way here." Stopping dead still in her tracks, JJ said, her eyes narrowing at the thought, "I'm beginning to think that our friends might have had a few ulterior motives in this little adventure. "

Clenching his hand in his pocket as he heard her words, Hotch nodded, turning back to face her. Shading his eyes against the sudden flash of sunlight, he said calmly, "Whatever they were thinking, our only option is to push forward, JJ. Are you up to walking for the next few hours?"

Leveling a glare in his direction, JJ cinched her belt tighter as she said firmly, "I run 5 miles a day, Hotch. A trek through Rossi's woods is not exactly going to send me into the vapors." Pushing past him, she threw over her shoulder, "You coming?"

A few long strides brought him even with her, and he cast a sideways glance at her face. After a few hundred feet had been covered, pinecones crunching underneath their heavy footfalls, he finally asked, "What made you come on this trip today anyway?"

Looking straight ahead, JJ forced herself to ignore the feelings churning in her stomach as she walked step in step with him. Shrugging, she answered, "I wanted to give Henry a real tree and a real Christmas. I know he's a little young for it, but I remember my own childhood Christmases, and I wanted him to have some of those same memories."

"What was it like growing up in Pennsylvania?" Hotch asked softly, once again forcing himself to keep his hands at his side, resisting the urge to reach out and take her hand, even though it seemed the most natural thing in the world to do at that exact moment.

About to answer his question, a smile flitting on her lips as she thought about the farm where she was raised, JJ suddenly stopped walking, her eyes drawn to a small blue package lying on the ground. Pointing, she said, "I don't think that's a part of the natural habitat, Hotch."

Deftly reaching for the object, Hotch nodded as he started to open the box. "It appears that our friends have left us another missive."

Shifting from foot to foot and rubbing her hands together as another blast of frigid air washed over her as the sun slowly began its descent for the day, JJ said through gritted teeth, "And I know that handwriting. That is most definitely David Rossi's scrawl. I've spent enough time over the past year and a half trying to decipher his attempt at hieroglyphics. Open it."

Lifting his head to look at the blonde woman vigorously chafing her hand together, Hotch reached in his pocket, retrieving his gloves. Holding them out, he shook them at her as he ordered, "Put these on, JJ."

Shaking her head, she replied, "No, you might need them later. I'm fine."

Glancing up at the darkening sky, he shook his head. "You won't be for long; it's getting dark. Don't argue. Just put them on. Consider it an order from your superior if you want."

"Hotch," JJ said patiently, "we've been abandoned in the middle of God's country. I don't really think you're going to be able to pull rank on me out here," she said, gesturing around at the tree's surrounding them.

"JJ, please…" Hotch groaned, "Just put on the gloves so that I can open this thing and try to figure out a way to get us out of this mess WITHOUT us both coming down with a case of hypothermia."

"Fine," JJ muttered, snatching the soft leather from his hands and jamming her tiny hands into the material. Staring down at her hands, she murmured, "They're a little big."

"Or you're a little small," Hotch shrugged. "Six of one, half dozen of the other."

"Read the note, Hotch," JJ snorted, dropping her arms to her sides and tapping her sneaker clad foot impatiently.

Ripping the envelope, Hotch glared down at the card he clutched in his hand. "That son of a…" he growled, narrowing his eyes at the heavy paper.

"What?" JJ asked, lifting on her tiptoes in an attempt to peer over his shoulder. "What've they done?"

Gazing down at the inquisitive beauty at his side, Hotch muttered, "They set us up. Worse than that, we fell right into their devious little trap."


	9. Chapter 9

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Eight**

"What?" JJ asked blankly, still craning to read the note card held between Hotch's fingertips. "Don't talk in riddles, Hotch. Just tell me what's going on. Better yet, just read me the note," JJ ordered, drawing her coat more tightly around her as the chilling wind whipped around them again.

"You're not going to like it," Hotch warned.

"Yeah, because up until now, I've been having the time of my life," JJ retorted. "Just read it, Hotch."

Scanning the card in his hands, Hotch took a deep breath and shut his eyes, visions of stabbing David Rossi with his letter opener dancing behind his closed lids.

"Hotch, there's a time to meditate," JJ murmured, "This isn't it."

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Okay, JJ, just remember, I'm an innocent victim in this scheme, too." Hotch warned her quietly.

"Read," she ordered in a tone that she reserved for only the most annoying of reporters.

"Dear Friends and colleagues," he began.

"Friend, my Aunt Fanny!" JJ huffed. "If this is what those two turncoats do to their friends, may God have mercy on their enemies," JJ growled, looking around as the wind rustled through the copse of trees.

"Just reading the note, JJ," Hotch said defensively, looking down at her with a dark stare.

"Go on," JJ said, gesturing with her hand for him to proceed.

Clearing his throat, Hotch continued, his deep baritone voice loud in the forest. "As you might have realized by now, you're stranded."

"Gee, who'd have noticed?" JJ asked sarcastically.

"JJ," Hotch said, his tone warning.

"Sorry," she mumbled, flashing him an apologetic half-smile.

Nodding, he read, "You both might want to consider this as an intervention, of a fashion."

"An intervention? Do YOU have an addiction to the great outdoors, Hotch, because I know that I undeniably DON'T?" JJ yelped, wringing her glove clad hands.

"JJ?" Hotch asked conversationally. "Am I going to need a gag to get through this?"

"Shutting up now," JJ said softly.

"We know that you might find fault with our logic, but this was really the best plan we could enact on short notice. Though, for the record, I did suggest the supply closet. Garcia, however, informed me that my method had been tried. And met with unqualified failure," Hotch recited, fighting a chuckle as he recalled his stolen hour with the media liaison in that closet. He'd seen Jennifer Jareau under a lot of varied conditions. Locked in a small enclosure, needless to say, had not been one of her finer moments.

"So, JJ, I think you can appreciate the fact that we chose to begin this intervention in the great outdoors," Hotch read, flashing a look toward a pacing Jennifer, her cheeks flushed as her blond hair blew behind her, whether from the weather or her anger, he wasn't certain.

Following her stilted movements with his eyes, Hotch asked, "JJ?"

Turning sharply, JJ narrowed her eyes. "I'm pretty sure the only thing I appreciate right now is the fact that this is an offense punishable by law." Tilting her head, she continued, "You're a seasoned litigator, right? I have faith that you can make whatever charges we hurl at them stick."

"Eventually," Hotch said slowly, fighting a grin at the perturbed expression crossing JJ's face. "But, I think," he said with a pointed look around, "we might have a few more pressing issues."

"Such as?" JJ snapped, her eyebrows drawing heavenward. "Look around, Hotch! I don't think there's anything more pressing that the kidnapping to two federal agents and abandoning them to the elements in the middle of winter, do you?"

Biting his lip as her usually well modulated soft voice grew in volume, Hotch shot her a quick look before offering, "Perhaps the fact that it's dropped ten degrees in the past fifteen minutes? Has that escaped your notice?"

Shivering, JJ glared at her boss as she ground out, "It has NOT! But my ire happens to be keeping me warm at the moment! It's all I've got!"

Oh, how he'd like to give the younger woman something else to keep those lovely curves of hers warm. He was certain he could comprise some quite interesting ways to keep both her body warmed and her caustic mouth occupied. Forcing his thoughts away from that ground hidden with explosive landmines, he dropped his eyes back to the note in his quickly numbing hands. "Do you want to hear the rest of this, JJ?"

"Does that missive get any more interesting?" JJ asked sharply as she turned to fruitlessly scan the horizon. Surely they'd come back! Neither one of her colleagues could possibly be this devious, could they? Then she realized who exactly these two individuals were…and she knew. Yes, they were completely that devious.

"Actually, there is some good news in here," Hotch shrugged, his eyes on the scrawling familiar handwriting.

"Really? What?" JJ asked, taking an involuntary step forward.

As her bent blond head clouded his view of the note as she huddled against him, Hotch tried to ignore how wonderful she smelled. He told himself to focus on the problem. Shelter…they needed shelter. And evidently, David Rossi had realized it.

"They want us to sleep in a SHANTY?" JJ screeched, her eyes finally reaching the same point his had in the letter. "What in the name of all that's holy….I'm gonna kill him!" she yelled, stomping her foot angrily.

"OW!" Hotch yelped as her sneaker shod foot made contact with his. Hopping up and down, the picture of undignified grace, he frowned at JJ. "What the hell was that for?"

"THAT was for bringing back that evil man back to OUR BAU!" JJ snapped, no hint of apology in her bright blue eyes.

"He didn't ask," Hotch whined, leaning over to massage his foot. "He never asks. David Rossi and Penelope Garcia are laws unto themselves. The best the rest of us mere mortals can do are to get the hell out of their way," Hotch groaned, dropping to the ground. Damn, had that little spitfire actually managed to break his foot?


	10. Chapter 10

**With a Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter Nine**

"I wasn't in their way!" JJ wailed, her warble bouncing off the treetops. "I was minding my own business, trying to provide a nice Christmas for my son, when out of the blue, I'm suddenly a freaking puppet. And those two jackasses are pulling all the strings!" Stomping her foot against the hard ground as she turned, she yelled, "I want out! And I want out now!"

Taking an involuntary hobble back as she rounded to face him, Hotch wondered when his normally staid and reserved public relations expert had suddenly become the modern-day equivalent of Sybil. Guarding his foot in case she decided to expend her ire in his direction again, he said, "I know the situation isn't ideal, JJ…."

"Ideal, he says. Ideal. Ideal would be a Hilton with a Jacuzzi and a nice fluffy robe," she ranted, pacing a path through the pine needles. Snorting, she added, "Ideal would be ANYTHING other than the great outdoors."

Taking advantage of her momentary silence as she drew in another breath, Hotch took a step in her direction, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Look, JJ, I'm with you. We're screwed. But right now, we have to make the best of the situation, and take what shelter we can get. And we've got to move now, JJ, while we still have light and before that threatened snow shows up."

Her eyes growing more thunderous by the moment, she spat out, "Snow! They've left us in the freaking woods when a freaking snow storm is coming!" Waving her hands over her body, JJ exclaimed, "I am not an Eskimo! I don't do well in igloos, Hotch!"

His eyes automatically following her flailing hands, Hotch couldn't help but notice her beautiful body and agree with her statement. She was definitely not an Eskimo. Clearing his throat as he forced himself to return to the problem at hand, he said with a sigh, "We're not going to have to build an igloo, JJ. But we need to get to Rossi's hunting cabin soon before the weather worsens." Glancing over her shoulder, he recognized the break in the path ahead of them as he said, "We've probably got about a ten minute walk and we'll be there. And if I remember correctly, Rossi always keeps it stocked in case he decides to hunt late."

"Oh, I'll happily accompany him on his next trip. I think he'd look rather nice mounted on my office wall, don't you? And I know just which part of his anatomy that I'll choose for my first bullet," JJ sneered, rubbing her hands together.

Biting his lips as he saw the slightly bloodthirsty look enter JJ's eyes, Hotch shook his head, dismayed. Now this was a whole new side of his agent…one that he could quite honestly become addicted to. Clearing his throat, he watched her raise her alert blue eyes to his again. "I hate to interrupt your homicidal hunting plans, but…food? Shelter? Focus, JJ."

"I'm focused. I'm focused," she grumbled, her teeth beginning to chatter. "Ten minutes, huh?" she muttered, looking up at the rapidly descending sun as she silently cursed the fates in general and Rossi and Garcia specifically once again. Inhaling the frigid air deeply, she sighed. "I guess we better start hoofing it. Lead the way, Mr. I Was a Boy Scout," she ordered, gesturing ahead of them.

"Actually, I was an Eagle Scout," Hotch corrected as he began to walk, glancing down at the handwritten small map in his hands and sending a prayer heavenward that he was aiming them in the appropriate direction.

"My apologies," JJ muttered, following her boss's attractive rear as he led her down the path. Damn, she'd always avoided these little romps through the wilderness with her brothers. Stumbling over a rock, she gritted her teeth. Now, she remembered why. The so-called Great Outdoors sucked!

Long minutes later, Hotch rolled his eyes as JJ asked for the fourth time, "Are we almost there yet?"

Drawing a long breath, he reminded himself that she was no more a willing participant in this little outdoor adventure than he was. It would be in bad form to kill his beautiful co-worker.

Biting her lip as she cast nervous eyes around, she whined again, "Hotch, it's getting dark out here."

"I'm aware, JJ," Hotch replied, his words terse in the still waning light of day.

"And I'm pretty sure that we just walked in a complete circle," JJ noted caustically, eyeing a familiar knotted pine tree in the shape of what reminded her of Erin Strauss's figure.

"We're not walking in circles, JJ," Hotch muttered for the third time. "I'm marking trees, remember? I just explained that three minutes ago," he said, marking another fir with his pocket knife.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Wilderness Guide, but I'm freezing!" JJ snapped, jumping as she heard a rustling in the trees. Grabbing the back of Hotch's coat, she jerked the taller man back against her as she whispered, "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, JJ," Hotch replied patiently. "It's called THE WIND," he growled.

"Are you always this much of a sarcastic jerk? How have I never noticed it while we're at work?" JJ asked with mock thoughtfulness, pretending to pat her chin as she glared in his direction.

"JJ?" Hotch asked casually, reaching in his pocket for his handkerchief and waving it in front of her nose, "I'm very good at improvising when I need to gag a suspect."

Frowning at him, JJ ignored Hotch, looking beyond his broad shoulder as she squinted her eyes. Pointing behind him, she asked, "What's that?"

Turning, Hotch felt the overwhelming urge to perform a minor celebratory jig over the frozen ground. Somehow, though, he resisted temptation, instead simply staring to where she pointed. "THAT, Agent Jareau, is our kidnappers' version of the Hyatt. That's the cabin where we'll be enjoying the rest of this winter's eve."

"The hell you say," JJ gasped, eyeing the dilapidated shack in front of her in horror, the shiver creeping down her spine having nothing at all to do with the weather. "There's no way we can sleep in that sad, sorry excuse for shelter!"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: Just wanted to let you guys know that updates until after the new year will be sporadic. Then, hopefully, things will go back to normal. My goal is that this one will be done by New Year's Day.**_

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter 10**

"JJ," Hotch sighed. "We're out of options. It's this," he muttered, nodding toward the small shack. "Or nothing at all. At least it'll be dry in there," he added, glaring up at the sky as a few snowflakes danced against his face.

"But…but," JJ stuttered, eying the wooden structure trepidatiously. "Is that thing even stable, Hotch? It leans to one side," she said, tilting her head to look more closely at the shack that did, indeed, appear to be favoring one side precariously.

"It's only for a night," Hotch said, flashing a reassuring smile. "Come on…after some of the motels we've had to spend the night in on the road, is this really THAT bad?"

"Those rooms had heat, Hotch," JJ declared flatly.

"And I'm willing to bet that little abode had a fireplace pit…Look," he said, gesturing toward the sloping roof, "It got a chimney…of sorts," he amended lamely.

"Oh, God," JJ groaned. Straightening her spine, she sighed. He was right…it was this…this…poor imitation of shelter or…nothing. There was really no better alternative. "Just for the night…then we hike back to Dave's."

"And I assist you in hiding his dead beaten body," Hotch agreed readily. "I'll even dig the grave."

"Deal," JJ muttered, trudging toward the shack's wooden door. Reaching for the rusty knob, she suddenly found her chilled arm covered by his large hand. Raising a brow, she turned her head to look at him inquiringly, enjoying the feel of the warm weight resting against her skin.

"Why don't you let me go in first and check things out?" Hotch asked quietly, gently but unarguably moving her behind him.

"Afraid a bear might have taken up residence?" JJ asked lightly.

"The bear probably has higher standards," Hotch grunted, pushing the door open and barely suppressing a shudder as he realized with unwavering certainty just what his two employees had planned for JJ and himself. And it was official. Not only would he be digging the grave, he might just be adding his bullets to hers.

Eyes widening as he looked around the shack's interior, Hotch swallowed convulsively. He knew by JJ's silence that there was no way she'd seen the inside of the small cabin. No way in hell would the woman whose vision he was currently obscuring be able to maintain her composure over these surroundings. David Rossi and Penelope Garcia had waved the red flag…and the best he could hope for was to avoid the bull's tirade when it came. "JJ?" Hotch inquired pleasantly.

"What?" JJ snapped, shivering as another gust of wind blew over her frame. "Spit it out already. I'm freezing out here."

"I just wanted to remind you yet again that I, too, am a victim of the sinister plan unfolding around us," Hotch hedged, grimacing at the sight of the turned down double bed and the red satin sheets adorning it.

"Why would I think anything different?" JJ asked petulantly, rolling her eyes at her boss' back. Good Lord, had the dropping temperatures affected her normally sane superior's mind.

"Just needed to get it out there," Hotch mumbled, before stepping aside, allowing JJ to view their current den of inequity for herself.

Shoving Hotch aside as he took a step to the left, JJ's eyes widened as her range of vision suddenly expanded to encompass more than Hotch's back. "Oh my God!" she breathed, gaping. Narrowing her gaze on the large bed in the center of the room, JJ ground out, "Are those SATIN sheets? RED satin sheets?"

"Actually, I think they're more crimson," Hotch deadpanned.

"Because that makes SUCH a difference," JJ growled, glancing upward. Taking a step forward, she shook her head as she picked up the remote carelessly dropped on the bed. "What's this?" she asked, hitting a button as the room was suddenly filled with the sensual strains of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On". "You've gotta be kidding me," she moaned, hitting another button as a strobe light from above flickered on, illuminating the room in an eerie red and green glow.

"Those two had time to rig this joint up for a night of sexual healing but they couldn't see their way clear to drop a log in the fireplace?" Hotch grunted, kneeling in front of the cold grate.

"Why am I not surprised?" JJ muttered, making her way toward the laden scarred wooden table. Peering down, she shook her head.

"Tell me there's coffee and water on that table," Hotch demanded, running a hand down his face.

"Not so much," JJ replied with a terse shake of her head. Biting her lip as she felt the overwhelming urge to laugh hysterically at the obvious lengths her friends had gone to, she strangled out, "Not even close."

Pushing up, Hotch crossed the room to look over JJ's slim shoulder. "What is it?"

"Well…I see chocolate," JJ said, holding up a box of gourmet delicacies. I see strawberries. Grapes…"

"And don't forget the champagne," Hotch chuckled, lifting the green bottle in front of her nose.

Picking up the note on the table, JJ laughed outright as she read. Shaking the slip of paper in the air, she groaned, "And our kind, albeit shortly dead friends left two flutes chilling on the broken stump outside for us." Turning JJ looked up into Hotch's dark face. "Something tells me they intend for us to do a little more than sleep tonight."


	12. Chapter 12

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter 11**

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Hotch wondered if he'd imagined the throaty chuckle his young, blonde agent had emitted into the room. "It does appear that they might have had some ulterior motives," Hotch admitted, turning to open the nightstand's drawer. There had to be matches somewhere. Looking around, he noted the candles interspersed across the room. Dozens of them. Frowning, he'd hoped they would have taken a small measure of mercy and left a lantern, but no such luck.

JJ watched as Hotch's capable hand jerked open the drawer and was awarded with a vision she never thought she'd see in her life. A speechless Aaron Hotchner, gaping like a fish out of water. "What? What is it?" she asked, grabbing the flashlight off the table and moving to his side. Shining her spotlight down on the contents of the drawer, she couldn't resist the laugh bubbling in her throat. Reaching around him, she nodded approvingly, "Lubricated and flavored," she snorted. "It appears Rossi knows what pleases a girl."

Dropping his shocked gaze to JJ's amused face, Hotch shook his head blankly. "I'd say this is more of Garcia's work," he replied, his voice thick as he reached inside the fully stocked drawer. "Ribbed, edible, colored," he muttered. "Good God…what kind of freak show is this?"

"Hey!" JJ chastised. "Don't knock it til you've tried it, Hotchner," JJ said, grinning wickedly as she picked up another wrapped package. "What's this?" she asked, furrowing her brows as she tried to read the package in the waning light.

"THAT is a French tickler," Hotch muttered.

"And I think it might disturb me that you knew that so quickly," JJ laughed again.

Hearing that sultry chuckle, Hotch looked at her glowing face again. Mentally grimacing, Aaron reminded himself that this woman, beautiful though she was, was off limits. His employee…his friend. But he was unable to resist a retort, especially since she'd just backhandedly implied that he was inexperienced. "Obviously you've never had one used in the appropriate fashion or you wouldn't be disturbed, JJ."

"Oh, I know this little toy well, Hotch. And I take it from your obviously smug answer that you've had experience with this particular item, too" JJ replied, one eyebrow raised as she waved the foil package in his direction.

Forcing himself to resist the temptation, tamping down the urge that suddenly invaded him as he faced the challenge, like a bull staring a red flag, he said, calmly, "I know my way around the bedroom, JJ." He added, before he could stop himself, his eyes dropping dangerously down her body, "And a woman's body."

Eyes widening in slight shock at his obvious intent, JJ wondered for a split moment what had made her normally sedate and in-control Unit Chief decide to let down his guard and act like a normal human male. Making a split second decision as she dropped the packet on the covered mattress, she said, taking a step in his direction, "I think our friends have conspired to make sure that we both get to know each other's body's a bit better. "

Eyes darkening as JJ threw down the neon yellow condom to the bed like a gauntlet, Hotch slowly met her eyes. "It would seem that's exactly the master plan they've colluded to form."

Licking her suddenly dry lips, JJ asked, her voice a thread of sound, "Now what exactly do you think we should do about that?" Looking closely at Aaron Hotchner's shadowed face, JJ saw the unmistakable gleam of masculine interest. She could almost smell his arousal…dark and earthy.

Suddenly warm in the incredibly cool room, Hotch couldn't shake the feeling that he was being propositioned. More unsettling, he was actually enjoying it. Taking a half step closer to the incredibly sexy woman in front of him, he countered, "Better question, JJ. What do you want to do about it?"


	13. Chapter 13

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter 12**

Offering the handsome man in front of her a slow smile, "First, I suggest we both find a way to warm ourselves up." Turning to shut the wooden door firmly, shutting out the cold winter air, JJ asked over her shoulder, "Is that firewood in the corner?"

Trying not to smirk as he watched JJ's face blush in the dim room, Hotch glanced behind him, his eyes quickly counting the logs. "I do believe it is."

Watching Hotch's lean form move purposefully across the rough wooden floor, JJ admired his slow deliberate movements. It never mattered what activity he did, no matter how simple or how intricate, he did it with easily confident grace and rhythm. Reaching for the heavy bottle of wine in the center of the table, she poured the dark red liquid into two waiting flutes as Hotch built the fire. Taking a sip of the sweet liquid, JJ sighed as the cool crisp wine slid down her throat. Glancing down at the understated label, she smiled slightly. She had to give Penelope and Rossi credit… they'd provided only the finest.

Rising from the floor, Hotch dusted the dirt from his casual jeans and caught JJ's interested gaze across the room. Nodding casually toward the flickering flames, he said with certainty, "It should get warmer in here soon now."

"With only satin sheets to keep us warm," she said with a pointed look at the bed, shaking her head, "I certainly hope so."

Accepting the glass she extended toward him, Hotch smiled as he followed her line of sight. "It seems our well-meaning friends tried some evasive maneuvers on us, doesn't it? I can't help wondering what the ulterior motive is."

"Well," JJ drawled, dropping onto the foot of the bed with a plop, taking another healthy pull from her glass, "I can come up with a pretty good idea. Although, you probably won't be pleased," she added with a raised brow.

"You mean less pleased than being deserted in the middle of the woods during an Arctic freeze in a shack with only one bed and enough sexual accessories to fund a legion of pornographic films?" Hotch asked dryly, taking a sip from his wine glass, his eyes walking her body as he watched her stretch slightly.

"Something like that," JJ chuckled, taking a deep drink from her own glass, draining it. Holding her glass wordlessly out to Hotch, he obediently refilled it as she nodded.

"Okay," Hotch sighed, watching in rapt attention as JJ scooted back to flop on her belly on the mattress.

Bouncing a little, JJ giggled, patting her hand firmly against the bed covering.

"What?" Hotch asked, enjoying the bright smile beaming across her face. "What's funny?"

"Penelope made Dave spring for a new mattress," she laughed, kicking her feet up in the air, swinging her legs. "This baby has some spring to it."

"Sounds about right," Hotch agreed, reaching out a hand to test the mattress for himself, his fingers giving credence to her words. "Neither one of them knows how to do anything by halves." Watching as JJ reached for the book lying on the bedside table, he frowned as she strangled on her sip of wine. "JJ?"

Coughing, JJ stared in amused horror at the book in her hands, her fingers holding onto the edges as if it were a serpent ready to strike. "You aren't gonna believe this!" she sputtered, shifting surprised eyes from the title to his face and back.

"What?" Hotch asked, perplexed by the look on her face.

Holding the book aloft, she giggled, "Our so-called friends must not have any faith in our collective abilities at all! They left us a freaking copy of the Kama Sutra!"

Dropping his head into his hands, Hotch groaned as he slammed his eyes shut. "I swear to God, if we ever get out of this, I'm gonna kill David Rossi and nail his hide to my office wall!"

"We'll mount Garcia's right along beside it…evidently, they think they make quite the powerful pair," JJ agreed, dropping the book, face down, back to the table beside her, wondering what other surprises they would find throughout the night. "Can you believe this?" she asked, gesturing around the room incredulously.

"Unfortunately, yeah, I do," Hotch snorted, popping a grape from the bowl into his mouth, popping the flavorful fruit against his tongue. "You should have been there for the first night after my divorce from Haley became final. That little ordeal almost puts this one to shame! And Rossi pulled that one off on his own," Hotch grumbled, reaching for another grape.

"Hey! Don't Bogart the fruit," she ordered, gesturing for the bowl as she watched his long, sure fingers wrap around the small globes. "And this, I've absolutely gotta hear, I think," she laughed, her mind beginning to mellow, a mixture of the wine and the nice warmth of the fire playing with her senses.

Popping another grape between his lips as he passed the crystal bowl to her, Hotch shook his dark head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Settling the bowl on the bed between her and his chair, JJ shook her head. "After this," she replied, gesturing around them, "I think I'd believe David Rossi and Penelope Garcia capable of anything. Separately, they're merely dangerous. Together, they're lethal."

"On that issue," Hotch nodded, "We are in complete agreement."

"So tell me, what was Rossi's answer to the divorce depression? He's been there enough times that he should have come up with some fairly creative home remedies," JJ chuckled, picking a strawberry from the bowl. Chewing the succulent fruit, she wiped the ripe berry's juice from her chin. "And where the hell did those two find fresh strawberries in the middle of December?" JJ asked in awe.

"Those two have endless hidden talents," Hotch murmured, watching her lick her lips, her tongue slipping perfectly to slide against the tiny drops of juice. Shifting uncomfortably in his chair at the innocently seductive movement of her tongue, he tried not to shiver.

"Hotch?" JJasked, watching his face, her eyes narrowing as she saw his eyes darken for a moment. "You okay?"

"Just fine," he replied faintly, forcing himself to pull his eyes back up to hers. "Just lost my train of thought for a second," he said quickly, bringing his glass back to his lips.

"Well, find it! And tell me the story. We've gotta do something to pass the time," JJ suggested with a wink.


	14. Chapter 14

**With A Little Christmas Luck**

**Chapter 13**

"You're not gonna let this one go, are you?" Hotch asked, chuckling at her rapt, expectant face staring up at him as he passed her to stoke the fire.

Snagging his arm as he returned to his chair, JJ pulled him down beside her on the bed as she shook her head. "Hell, no. I wanna hear this. Anything that can make you blush like that has got to be good!"

"I'm not blushing," he muttered, raising a hand to his cheek. "I'm flushed from the fire."

"Uh huh. Sure you are," JJ laughed. "Spill it, Hotch," JJ demanded.

"I am still your boss, aren't I?" Hotch teased, enjoying the soft glow radiating from her happy face.

"Nuh uh. It's after hours. You're just a man that I happen to know," JJ shook her head.

"Oh really," he drawled softly, staring down at her as she rolled to lie on her back.

"Yes, really," JJ said, mimicking his tone as she looked up at his face. Was that heat she saw in his eyes? It certainly appeared that his eyes were glowing with masculine interest. For the first time in a long time, she certainly hoped that she was reading the signals correctly. Her track record, however, was not exactly stellar. Clearing her throat, JJ focused on his face as she ordered, "Now tell me what David Rossi did to try to extract you from the divorce duldrums."

"Let's just say it involved a late night at the office, a stripper with whipped cream in some pretty strategic places and an unexpected visit from Erin Strauss," Hotch confessed, smiling at the recollection.

Choking on her wine, JJ shook her head. "He didn't!"

"Let's just say that Dave arranged for everything except Strauss' sudden desire for a status report," Hotch chuckled.

Gaping, JJ shook her head. "Okay, that makes the stripper that Garcia sent to my house after Will left seem tame by comparison," JJ laughed.

"Dave's just had more time to hone his art," Hotch sighed. "Give Garcia a few more years and she'll be a schemer of his caliber," he added sagely.

"God help us all," JJ grumbled. "I see a serious accident befalling her favorite motherboard in her near future," JJ said thoughtfully.

"Too obvious. I say we take her troll doll collection and hold it for ransom. We could send it back to her a piece at a time. An arm here…a leg there," Hotch mused.

"Oh, now that's classic," JJ nodded approvingly. Sending him an appreciative look, JJ raised a brow. "Who'd have ever imagined that Aaron Hotchner could be so devious?" she asked with grudging respect.

"Oh, JJ," Hotch murmured suggestively as his eyes trailed down her lithe body, "There are depths to me that you haven't begun to explore."

"That sounds intriguing," JJ replied softly, her eyes lingering on his handsome face.

"Does it?" he asked, taking a sip of his wine as he watched her face. "I never thought you'd find someone like me interesting. I always assumed I'd be too boring for the pretty girl."

"I don't consider myself to be the pretty girl, Hotch," JJ replied, blonde hair falling against her shoulders as she shook her head from side to side. Leaning up on her elbow, she added, seriously, "And I don't consider you to be boring. Not in the least."

"I do," Hotch said just as seriously, his eyes following her every move as she shifted against the mattress, her shirt gaping just slightly as she stretched an arm, falling into a new position.

"But why?" she asked, her eyes bright as the firelight flashing in her gaze. Shrugging, she added, leaning forward, "you're a modern day super hero, Hotch. You literally save damsels in distress. You have the power to change lives on a daily basis. And you're damn handsome. I don't think a woman in her right mind would consider that to be boring."

"JJ, you're just…"

"I'm telling you the truth, Aaron," she said firmly, meeting his gaze head on. Smiling sadly, she added, "You're forgetting that I've seen you, day in and day out, for the last six years. And I've sat on the sidelines, watching you, waiting…."

His eyes widening in slight shock as her voice trailed off, Hotch swallowed hard, then finally said, his voice barely above a whisper, "What have you been waiting for, JJ?"

Shrugging slightly, JJ lifted her gaze back to his as she whispered, "Maybe I've been waiting for you to notice me. To see me."

Leaning forward, Hotch braced his arms on either side of her on the firm mattress as he said quietly, "There hasn't been a day that I haven't seen you, JJ. Even when I was married, I saw you. Why do you think Haley disliked you so much?"

Shaking her head, JJ swallowed, "You never…you didn't…"

"I would never have betrayed my marriage vows, no matter how unhappy I was. And by the time my divorce was final, you were seeing Will. Then Henry came."

"Will's gone now, though. And has been for some time," JJ murmured, studying his dark face as he loomed above her.

"So is Haley," Hotch whispered. "We're both alone and available for the first time in a very long time," he continued, stating the obvious, but needing the words said.

"Yeah, we are," JJ nodded, feeling the heat from his body above her radiating downward, warming her. "What do you think we should do about that?"

"Maybe we should start with this," Hotch suggested, slowly lowering his lips to hers, tentatively kissing her, carefully allowing her the time to back away from him if that was her intention. But instead, he was relieved to feel her toned arms slowly slipping around his neck, tugging him closer as her tongue actively sought hers out.

Sensations flooded JJ as Aaron Hotchner's lips slowly molded to her and though his tongue was sweetened from the wine he'd sipped earlier, she knew that wasn't the flavor that was slowly intoxicating her. It was Aaron's unique taste…something that was so intrinsically him that she knew she'd recognize it for the rest of her life.

Looking up at him as he slowly broke their kiss, she saw his dark eyes staring deeply into hers.

"JJ?" he whispered hesitantly, "You okay?"

"Wow," she replied shakily. "That felt…wonderful," she said softly, teasing the hair at the back of his neck as she spoke. Seeing his face soften at her admission, she smiled. "Do it again."

And so….he did.


End file.
